Multicolor-printing machinery



rch 22' 1927. 1,621,607 Ma I s. SHARPLESS MULTICOLQOR PRINTING MACHINERY Filed May 29, 1925 4 Sheejas-Sheet 1 M rch 22 1927.

a s. L. SHARPLESS MULTICOLOR ERINTING MACHINERY 7 Filed may 29, 1925 4 Sheets- Sheet 2 March 22 1927. I 1,621,607

S. L. SHARPLESS MULTICOLOR PRINTING MACHINERY Filed May 29,. 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Mar. 22, i927.

"UNITED stares- STEWART sHARPLnss, or MILWAUKEE, Wisconsin.

MULTICOLOR-PRINTING MACHINERY.

Application filed May 29, 1925. Serial No. 33,781.

The present invention relates to multicolor printing machinery and is especially applicable for printing a plurality of colors during a single passage of the material being 5 printed through the printing machine.

In printing machinery of this nature difficulty has been experienced, in obtaining trueregistrybetween the printing of one color and the printing of another color; and,

l furthermore, difficulty has been experienced in obtaining true duplication on'the material being printed of the printingsurface of the printing plates caused, for instance, by

shifting between the material being printed 1 and the printing surfaces of the printing plates. v

It is the object of the present invention to provide means whereby to remedy these difficulties. a

For convenience and clarity the material being printed will be hereinafter referred to. as paper, and the printing surface being printed as located on printing plates, although such printing surface maybe located on other suitable forms, sheets, or parts, the

term printing plate hereinafter employed including all such agencies; v c I It is the object of 'thepresent invention further to provide novel means whereby the 39 paper being printed iscontrolledthroughout the printing operation in suchmanner that it'is placed in definite position so that the colors being printed by different printing platesregister with each other; and, further, to provide novel means whereby drag on the paper is avoided during theprinting operation. 1

A pluralityofrotary impression cylinders is exemplified in this improved printing ma-. chine. The paper beingprinted is printed in one or more colors while located about one of the printing cylinders, and is then transferred to the other impressioncylinder for being printed with an additional color or colors. In order that the printing of the different colors, while the: paper is located.

about the difierent cylinders, shall register with each other, so that corresponding lines of one color will be coincident with corresponding lines of another color,it.is essential that the paper shall be exactly placed in definite positions on the respective cylinders. In order to effect such transfer in ac: curate manner, a transfer cylinder is prof vided, and the transfer cylinder'is driven from the impression cylinders, and the means for rotating the transfer cylinder are further. relieved from all heavy duty.

One of the objections in printing machinery as heretofore constructed has been that the impression on the sheet being printed was nota truereproduction of the printing surface of the printing plate, this impression often showing the printing lines and printing dots wideror of greaterarea than the lines and dots in the printing surface of the printing plate, and the impression further showing cross streaks of heavier printingnot found in the printing surface of the printing plate, and other inaccuracies appearing, for which it has been diificult to find explanation; i y p a I have found-that in certain characters of printing machines, and in manipulation of printingmachines, a'pull has been exerted on the sheet during printing, which resulted the impression on the sheet, and a consequent darker appearance 'of'the printed subject, and a consequent inaccuracy in repro-v duction of the printing lines in the printing surface. i a Ihave found that if the paper being printed is transferred from one impression, cylinder to the other with accuracy, and the paper is printed with a true rolling contact against the printing surface, that great improvement in printing will be effected, and it is the object of the invention to. providenovel' means for effecting such improvements It is" the object of this invention, further, to control the rotation of the transfer cylinder fromlthe impression cylinders; further, f to provide means whereby the angular rela tion of, the impression cylindersand trans-f fer cylinder are accurately c'ontrolledat the mcmentof transfer of the sheet b'eing print-, ed. from one to the other; further, to provide novel means wherebyshifting of the o advancing edge. of thesheet is avoided during thetransferyfurther, to provide novel means whereby true rolling contact is ob talne'd between the print ng surface'andthe paper being printed; furtherfto provide novel means whereby the initial point ofcontact between the printing surfaceandthe paper is controlled; and, further, to provide V edge of the paper is controlled with relation gether.

to such initial points of printing contact.

The invention will be further readily understood from the following description and claims, and from the drawings, in which latter, 7 Fig. 1 is a side elevation of an exemplifying printing machine embodying my invention, only so much of the printing machine being shown as is necessary to include my invention.

Fig. 2 is a reverse side elevation of the same.

- Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of one side of the machine.

Fig. 4 is a cross-section of the same, taken on a line corresponding to the line 4-4 of Fig. 3. I

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section of the same, taken on a line corresponding to the line 5-5 of Fig. 2. V

Fig. 6 is a detail of one of the gear-segments, taken on the line (iffi of Fig. 2.

The frame of the machine includes s1de frame-members 11, 12, suitably connected crosswise of the machine, one of the connections being exemplified as a base plate 13, to which the lower ends of the side framemembers are suitably connected, as by bolts.

A pair of impression cylinders are exemplified at 14, 15. The impression cylinder 14 is provided with a'shaft 16, to which it is suitably fixed, and the impression cylinder 15 is provided with a shaft 17 to which it is suitably fixed.

The shafts. 16 and 17 are rotatable in suitable bearings, suitably adjustable vertically and horizontally in the frame in usual man ner'for effecting the desired adjustments.

A transfer cylinder 21 is located between the impression cylinders, and is shown provided with a shaft 22, to which it'is suitably fixed, and whichis journaled in suitable ball bearings preferably positioned in the frame for forming a fixed axis of rotation for said transfer cylinder. r

The shaft 16 has gear 31 fixed thereto, and the shaft 17 has a gear 32 fixed thereto. The gear 31 comprises a driven portion 33 and a driving portion 34, spaced apart by an annular groove 35, which driven portion and driving portion. may be designated a driven gear and a driving gear fixed to- The gear 32 is exemplified as having a driven portion 36 and a driving portion 37, separated by an annular peripheral groove 88, which driven portion and driving portion may be instanced as a driven gear and a driving gear fixed together.

The gears 31, 32, are respectively fixed to the respective shafts of the impression cylinders.

A gear 41 is fixed to the shaft 22 of the transfer cylinder. This gear is an intermediate gear between the driving gears of the impression cylinders, and receives its rotation from said driving gears. The sole duty of said driving gears and said intermediate gear is inst-anced as the rotation of said transfer cylinder, which is a readily rotatable cylinder, so that said gears while massive have very little duty to perform and consequently maintain their accuracy throughout long use, whereby accuracy of rotative relation between said impression cylinders and said transfer cylinder is maintained.

The impression cylinder 14 is provided vith bearers 42 at its respective ends. The impression cylinder 15 is provided with bearers 43 at its respective ends, The bearers of the impression cylinders are preferably hardened and ground bearers.

The transfer cylinder 21 is provided with end-plates 44 at its respective ends to support the gripper shaft of said transfer cylinder and the operating means therefor. The outer peripheries of the end-plates of the transfer cylinder are preferably out of contact with the bearers of the impression cylinders.

The impression cylinder 14 is provided with tympan sheets 46 stretched about the impression receiving sector 47 of said impression cylinder in usual manner. It is also provided with grippers 48 on a gripper shaft 49 suitably operated in usual manner.

The impression cylinder 15 is provided with tympan sheets 51 stretched about the impressing sector 52 of said impression cylinder in. usual manner. Said impression cylinder is also provided with grippers 58 on a gripper shaft 54 suitably operated in usual manner. 7

The transfer cylinder 21 is provided with grippers 56, on a gripper shaft 57,- suitably operated in usual manner. Said transfer cylinder is also provided with a sheet supporting periphery 58, between its end-plates, which is of less diameter than said endplates for providing spaces 59, 60, between the impression sectors of said impression cylinders and the sheet supporting periphery of said transfer cylinder, inorder that when a sheet is gripped by the grippers 56 of the transfer cylinder, the said grippers may not drag said sheet with relation to its position on the sheet supporting sector of the impression cylinder from which it is being received, and to prevent any pulling action upon said sheet while being printed between said impression cylinder and the printing surfaceson the plate cylinders.

This construction also avoids pressure upon the paper between the transfer cylinder and the impression cylinders. and avoids pull upon the paper during the transfer thereof from the grippers of the transfer cylinder-tofthe grippers of the second imv paper'during the printing while on the sec;

pressionfcylinder, and avoidsfpull fon the nd impression cylinder.

; Means are provided whereby coaoting cyl- V inder s iare" definitelylocated with relation t o 410 i between saidcylinc lers at the gripping mo ment of the grlppers, I PIO VId G angular poeach other at the moments of'the takingpt tlieshe e t by any ot the cylinders.

In order to control. the angular relations sitioning means between said cylinders, in-

stanced as a gear-segment 61 which is apor tionjo f the gearof the transfer cylinder, and

" has its teeth properly out, to fullj size for init ating proper angular relation between the transfer cylinder and the impression cylin;

ders. The teeth of the driving gears of the meshing with the gear segments.

\ 41-, and as provided'with a side apron 63, hav- I The gear-segment 61 is shown mounted in a recess 62 in the periphery ofthegear ing slots", 64 therein, through which clampbolts 65 are received and:threaded into the the gear 41.

' body of the'gearfll, for clam'pingthe gearproper and adjusted relation to,

segment in Thisgear-segment is in the sameangular i positionjon the transfer cylincleras the an;-

gular position of thegrippingendspf the grippers on said cylinder when in gripping position, so as toflocate the transfer cylinder in correct angular relation with'ythe impres sion cylinders at. the "moment that the grippers of thetransfer cylinder grip thelsheet .cylinder or release thesheet while delivering it "to the" second 'impression cylinder, the

. r pp r 011 j ng! lii isa jo ra 'each"other" at the moments gripper transfer.

This angular position of thegear-segment corresponds alsofwith the angular position of the gripping ends' of the grippers 53 on the impression cylinderllb when theyi'coact with the grippers on the transfer. cylinder for transferring the sheet: being printed from the transfercyliiider to the second i n- ;pr'essio n cylinder'15. i

stance, at 67 The supportingmeans forthe printing, ur ee P ate or f rm s 'stanced as cylinders, on whlch said planting 'plates or forms are suitably adjustably 5e,

curedor otherwise maintained. a

Four ofi suoh plate cylinders are instanced at 71, 72,73, 74f The" plate fc yliiiderS are fis dte s f J' i imi suita l bear n in; the frame adjustable vertically, and hQri zontallyl'in (suitable ,lfn nneinfE alch plate lcylinder maybe iris'tanced printing in a difi'erentcolor from the rest.

'Thei'plate cylinders? 1,172 are a minor plate cylinders, whichfcoact withhthe first mpression cylinder l4, and the plate cylinders73; 7 L are a pair of cylinders which 00- act with the ,fjsecond mpression cylinder 15 for forming the respective printing couples. The plate cylinders are provided with plate receiving peripheries 75, and with Ibearers 76 at their respective ends, these bearers being preferablyhardened and ground bearers which coact with the bearers; on the respecti ve impressioncylinders.

The printing plates are; provided; with printing urf es'and are so positioned on r l the plate supportingcylindrical intermediate surface of theLpla-te cylinders that their printing surfaces are; in a cylinder coincident w th the cylinder of sa d bearerson said redrical surfaces of the sheets-being printed supported njumtympa sheets onthe' impression cylinders are jlocated fin cylinders :which coincident with the cylinders of 'spiectiv'e' plateoylinders, TheQotitercylinv the bearers on said 'impression icylinders' bearers oft-he plate cylindersand of the impression cylinders roll upon one-another 'id'uririg the, printing operation, and, due to such construction and arrangement produce l i a true rolling contact between the printing lsurfaceslonthe plate cylinders and the paper located on the outer surfa'ces of "the tympan sheets on the iinpressioncylinders.

, In order to define thefarigillfll relation between the initial edge of th eprintingsurface A on' the platecylindefwith thelop atioii of the while receiving it from the first impression.

adva cin g of'the h t elbe p dtl provide ea h offthefgears grease, s4, of I h' fl f p re pl rlinder wi h an positioning means, instanped as a gear-seg the meshingiteeth"offthegears on the inif pression cylinders, the balance of. thelteeth :ofthe gears of theplatecylinde rs being preferably rednc ed in, thickness ini order that sl ght play betwe enisaid gears and thefgears onfthe impression cylinders may be pro The impression cylinders coa ct with the, printing surfa ces from whichthei printing' is effected. Thesej printing surtaCesare instanced as on plates, exemplified for in;

vided, so that, after the angular, relation between said respective plateycy linders and the impression cylinder ooactingtherewith initiated by thesegment-gear, the balance of its'rotation will be determinedsby the trio- -tional ro1ling contactbetw'een thebearers on the plate cylinder and the ,coactingbearer on the impression 'cylinder, zMejs hing of the cylinder is fixed to a shaft 92 mounted in of'the coacting grippers on the-complemental impression cylin'der,'so that the initial printing lines between the printing plate and the paper held by the grippers'willbe determined by the gear-segment, and the following portion of the printing impression will be determined by the rolling friction contact between the bearers.

The moments of gripper action on the paper and the moments of initiation of printing by each of the plate cylinders is controlled by the angular positioning means, instanced as the gear segments. The following coactive printing between the printing couples is controlled by the bearer-contacts between the cylinders.

The same relation of gripper action is obtained by the feeding means for the sheet, effected by a feed cylinder 91. This feed suitable hearings in the side frame members of the printing machine, suitably adjusted vertically and horizontally in usual manner. The shaft 92 has a gear 93 fixed thereon.

V The feed cylinder is provided with endplates 94 at its respective ends, to support the gripper shaft of said feed cylinder and the operating means therefor. The outer peripheriesjofsaid end-plates are preferably out of contact with the bearers of the impression cylinder 14. The feed cylinder is reduced in diameter between said endplates to support the paper out of pressing contact with the tympan sheets on the first impression cylinder.

This feed cylinder is providedwith grippers 95,'fixed to a gripper shaft 96, operated in usual and well known manner, for receiving the sheet to be printed from a feed board 97 provided with suitable sheet positioning and releasing guides 89, 90, not more particularly shown or described because well known, for transferring the sheet being fed from the feed board to the feed cylinder by means of gripper action thereon. The gear 93 of the feed cylinder is provided with angular positioning means, instanced as'gea'r-segments 98, 99, constructed, mounted and adjusted similar to the gearsegments 61, and having teeth which are fullsize and arranged to coact with the teeth of i the driving gear 34- of the first impression cylinder, in full and proper meshing relation, for defining the true angular positions between said feed cylinder and said impression cylinder at the moments respectively when the grippers on the feed cylinder take the sheet from the feed board and when the grippers on the first impression cyiinder take the sheet from the grippers of said feed cylinder. The gear-segment 99 is located in the angular position of the grippmg ends of the grippers on the feed cylinder when sald grippers are in operative relation, and the gear-segment 98 coacts with the gear of the first impression cylinder at the moment when the gripping ends'of the grippers 95 on the feed cylinder take the paper from the feed board.

The driven gear 41 of the transfer cylinder 21 and the driven gear 93 of the feed cylinder 91 preferably have their teeth so cut as to be reduced from normal thickness in order that a slight play or a relative rotation between said cylinders and the impression cylinders is permitted independent of said gears, the said gears, how-ever, maintaining said cylinders in proximate desired relations so that, for instance, suitable tripping mechanism, not shownbecause well known, may be employed for permitting separation between the impression cylinders and the printing surfaces for reasons which are well known. The gear-segments described, however, define the desired definite relations between said cylinders and between the feed cylinder and the feed board at the moments of sheet taking or sheettransfer for accuracy in printing.

After the sheet has been printed, it is delivered from the impression cylinder 15 in suitable manner, as by being received above delivery bars 101 and on to suitable delivery tapes 102, suitably operated for moving the printed sheet away from the printing mechanism without pull upon the sheet which would tendto shift the paper while being printed.

The driven gears 33, 36, of the impression cylinders are exemplified as driven by an intermediate driving gear 105, located between said driven gears, for exerting its driving forces in opposite directions and thereby balancing its power application. This driving gear is fast with a gear 106 on a sleeve 107, rotatable about a spool 108, on ball bearings 109; The spool is mounted in a bearing 110 in a yoke 11 secured to the side frame member 12, and in a bearing 113011 a bearing-stand 114 extending upwardly from the base and suitably secured to said base. The yoke is received about the driven gear 41 on the transfer cylinder shaft. The parts mentionedare free of connection with the transfer cylinder.

The bearing spool is clamped in place by means of a rod 115, having nuts 116, 117, at its respective ends, thebearing-spool being provided with collars .118, 119,'between shoulders thereon and said bearings 110,

113, whereby the bearing spool and the bear spectively on the shafts 133, 128; for 'driving the pinion 127;

All of the gears heretofore desci'ibedand the pinion are exemplified as provided with helical teeth, the gear-segments being provided with similar vteet l 7 Suitable inking mechanism is provided, exemplified ascomprising inking rollers 141 142, rotated by suitable mechanisinreceiv ing its power from an inker drive shi ftl43, such mechanism not being more fully shown or described as the same may befof any desirable character.

driving pinion 105, 'by means of a pinion 144E meshingtherewith and having a bevelgear 145 fasttherewithflthe gears 144:, 145 rotatingabout a stub-shaft 1&6 fixed in the side frame-member 12 and a bearing 147 in a bracket 1l8,lfixed to said side framemember. The bevel-pinion 145 meshes with a bevel-pinion 149fixed to the inker driveshaft 143,the latter being journaled in a bearing 150in saidbracket, v

By my improved device thefeed cylinder and transfercylinder are devoid of other;

' duty than that respectively of feeding the sheet and transferring the sheet, and the plate cylinders are devoid of other duty than that of rotating and printing.

In the printing operation, the, sheet is fed to the feed cylinder and moved by the,

feed cylinder toward the first or lower impression cylinder. lhe rotative relation betweensaid cylinders is fixed at the moments of sheet taking and of sheet transfer by the gear-segments on the feed cylinder.

The sheet is fed with the first impression cylinder. v At the momentof arrival of its advance edge; that is to say, at the moment of arrival ofthe grippers on the first inipression cylinder at the respectiveplatecylinders j which coact withflsaid first impression cylinder, the correct angular positions of said respective platecylinders with the gripper positions of the first impression cylinder are fixed, by the momentary engagements between thegear-segments on said respective plate cylinders with the driving gear on said first impression cylinder. Upon arrival of the grippers of saldfirst impression cylinderat thetransfer cylinder, the grippers on the transfer cylinder take the advancing edge of the sheen-where upon said edge is releasedby the grippers of the first impression cylinder,,which are thereupon' noved backwardly and reversely "in usual manner, the correctangular relation of such-gripper position on the transfer cyl- The inker drive shaft is instanced as dr ven from,theintermediate ",ofthe various printing inder heing fixed by the gear-segment on I i said transfer cylinder, which also acts to fix the correct angularlrelation betweenlthe;

grippers on said transfer cylinderand the a grippers on the second or upper impression cylinder,upon arrival of the advancing edge e or the sheet at the latter gripper position.

The grippers on-the transfer cylinderthere: upon release said sheet, and are moved re-' versely outof the way in usual manner. c I The sheet is then advanced'past .theplate cylinders coacting with the second impres-QH: sion cylinder, the correct angular iposltions OfSiLlCl respective plate cyhnders being fixed a V by said gear-segments on said plate .cylin ders just in' advance oftlie momentof the beginningof the print ng by sjald respective v plate cyl1nders. v i i y n coacting with said 1 'espective impression cylinders,- after such initial angular positions of the same bysaid geansegments, :i'recaused to continue their The said plate cylinders rotations and correct relations withsaid. im-

pression cylinders with which theyrespec-v. Lively coact, by the'rolling friction contacts. 7 between thefad oinmg bearers on,tl1e:co- 1 acting plate cylinders and impression cyl- I inders.- The outer surface ofthe sheet being I printed and, the printing surface of the printing plates, being in the cylinders ,resp'ectively of the bearers .ofsaid impression; fcylinders and plate cylinders, [thus con:

trolled, form true rolling contacts between said printing surfaces' andthe surface ofv the sheet beingprinted, so that true iinpresv sions of the printing lines of said printing a surfaces:are'transferred to the sheetbeing printed. I j g c h c t QThe outerlperiphery: of the transfer cylinder being spaced. from the outer periph- "loo 2 eries of the [impression cylinders, prevents any pull ,uponthe sheet ,wlnle being trans-g fer-red from one impressioncylinder to the other, forninaintaining accuracy in the po-.. v

sition of the advancing edgeof thevprinting t sheet, in ordertoinsure. and maintain ac-QQ curacy of registry between the printing lines.

plate cylinders. n a n a The duties ofthe gearing are divided, the outer train of gearing having the heavier.

duties of rotating the impression cylinders and driving the inking mechanism and such other mechanism as may be desired on the machine, whereas,the inner train of gearing plates onthe various has the sole lighter. duty of rotating the a with the gear segments, causes registering of the feed cylinder, the transfer cylinder and the plate cylinders,-the rotations of the I plate cylinders,.between thetimes of action a transfer cylinder and the-feed cylinder and, i

of thewgear segments thereon, beingcaused of said plate cylinders and impression cylinders, the stress of such latter rotation- 'by the rollingcontacts betweenthelbearers I one-half the number of revolutions as the balance of the cylinders.

Having thus fully described. my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1, In a multi-color printing machine, the combination of a pair of impression cylinders, a plate cylinder coacting with each of said impression cylinders, atransfer cylinder between said impression cylinders, a train of gearing independent of driving connection with said'plate cylinders and said transfer cylinder for rotating said impression cylinders, and gearing between said impression cylinders and said plate cylinders and said transfer cylinder for rotating said plate cylinders and said transfer cylinder from said impression cylinders.

2. In a multi-color printing machine, the combination of a pair of impression cylinders, a transfer cylinder therebetween, a pair of plate cylinders for each of said impres sion cylinders, means for rotating said impression cylinders, a driving gear for each of said impression cylinders, a gear for rotating said transfer cylinder having driven connection with said driving gears, and a driven-gear for each of said plate cylinders, said driven gears of said respective pairs of plate cylinders having driven connections with said respective driving gears;

3. In a multi-color printing machine, the combination of a pair of impression cylinders, a transfer cylinder therebetween, a pair of plate cylinders for each of said impression cylinders, means for rotating said impression cylinders, a driving gear for each of said impression cylinders, a gear for rotating said transfer cylinder having driven connection with said driving gears, a driven gear for each of said plate cylinders, said driven gears of said'respective pairs of plate cylinders having driven connections with said respective driving gears, grippers on each of said impression cylinders and on said transfer cylinder, angular positioning'means be tween each of said last-named driven gears and said respective driving gears, and angular positioning means between said gear for rotating said transfer cylinder and said re spective driving gears, whereby to cause registry between said grippers on said transfer cylinder and said grippers on each of said impression cylinders, and for defining the rotative relations between said cylinders.

4. In a multi-color printing machine, the combination of a pair of impression cylinders, a transfer cylinder therebetween, a pair of plate cylinders for each of said impression cylinders, means for rotating said impression cylinders, a driving gear for each of saidimpression cylinders, a gear for rotating said transfer cylinder having driven connection with said driving gears, a driven gear for each of said plate cylinders,'said driven gears of said respective pairs of plate cylinders having driven c011- nections with said respective driving gears, grippers on each of said impression cylinders and on said transfer cylinder, angular positioning means between each of said lastnamed driven gears and said respective driving gears, angular positioning means between said gear for rotating said transfer cylinder and said respective driving gears, whereby to cause registry between said grippers on said transfer cylinder and said grippers on each of said impression cylinders, and for defining the rotative relations bebetween said cylinders, and coacting friction bearers at the respective ends of said impression cylinders and said plate cylinders effective for defining rotative relations between said impressioncylinders and said plate cylinders between coactive relations of said angular positioning means.

5. In a multi-color printing machine, the combination of a pair of superposed 1mpression cylinders, a transfer cylinder there- 4 between, driving means for said cylinders comprising a gear for each of said impression cylinders embracing a driven portion and a driving portion, a driving gear between the driven portions of said firstnamed gears for driving said impression cylinders, and a driven gear for said trans fer cylinder between said driving portions of said first-named gears.

6. In a multi-color printing machine, the combination of a pair of superposed impression cylinders, a transfer cylinder therebetween, driving means for said cylinders comprising a gear for each of said impression cylinders embracing a driven portion and a driving portion, a driving gear between the driven portions of said first-named gears for driving said impression cylinders, a driven gear for said transfer cylinder between said driving portions of said firstnamed gears, grippers on each of said cylinders, and angular positioning means between said cylinders causing registry between the grippers of adjoining cylinders.

7. In a multi-color printing machine, the combination of a pair of superposed impression cylinders, a transfer cylinder therebetween, driving means for said cylinders comprising a gear for each of said impression cylinders embracing a driven portion and a driving portion, a driving gear between the driven portions of said first named gears fordriving said impression cylinders, a driven gear for said transfer cylinder between said driving portions of said first-named gears, grippers on each of connection with said first-named driving gear.

8 In a multi-color printing machine, the combination of a pair of superposed impression cylinders, a pair of superposed plate cylinders coacting with each of said im-,

pression cylinders, all said plate cylinders superposed, a transfer cylinder between said superposed impression cylinders, a train of gearing for rotating said impression cylinders, and trains of gearing independent of 'said first-named train for rotatin said transfer cylinder and said plate cylinders from said impression cylinders. 9. In a multi-color printing machine, the

' combination of a pair of superposed impres sion cylinders, a pair of superposed plate cylinders coacting with each of said impression cylinders, all said plate cylinders superposed, a transfer cylinder between superposed impression cylinders, a feed cylinder co-actingwith one of said impression cylinders, a train of gearing for rotating said impression cylinders, and trams of gearing independent of said first-named train for rotating said feed cylinder, said transfer cylinder and said plate cylinders 7 from said impression cylinders.

positioning means between said impression said cylinders and the balance ofsaid cylinders.

' 11. In a multi-color printing machine, the combination of a pair of impression cylinders, a transfer cylinder therebetween, and a pair'of trainsof gears, one of said trains of gears comprising an intermediate driving gear and a pair ofdriven gears, the other of said trains of gears comprising an intermediate driven gear and a pair of driving gears, the gears of said pairs of gears and i said impression cylinders respectively having coincident axes of rotation and fixed together, and said intermediate. driven gear fixed to said transfer cylinder for rotating the latter. r y

I 12. In a multi-color printing machine, the combination of a pair of impression cylinders, a transfer cylinder therebetween, and a pair of trains of gears located side by side, one of said trains of gears comprising an intermediate driving gear and a' pair ofdriven gears, the other of said trains of gears comprising an intermediate driven gear and a pair of driving gears, the gears of said pairsof gears and said impression cylinders respectively having axes of rotation and fixed together, said intermediate driven gear fixed to said transfer cylinder for rotatingv the latter, and said intermediate gears free to rotatively floatwith relation to each other.

coincident 13. In a multi-color printing machine, i

the combination of a plurality of impression cylinders, a transfer cylinder therebetween, and an inker driving mechanism, a pairof trains of gears located side by side, oneof said trains of gears comprising an intermediate driving gear and a pair of driven gears, the otherof said trains of gears comprisin an intermediate driven gear and a pair of riving gears, the gears of said pairs of gears and said impression cylinders respectively having coincident axes of rotation and fixed to rotate together, said intermediate driven gear fixed to said transfer cylinder for rotating' the latter, and said inker driving mechanism having operative connection with 

